The Invisible Operation of God Surfacing
June 10, 2024
Dear Fellow Servants of Christ,
God is at work and we are delighted to see what He is doing. We have a number of meetings that take place an hour or hour and a half driving distance from our home in various directions. During these drive times we often contemplate and discuss what we notice our Savior is doing. There certainly are many things that He is doing that we do not see.
Last week was one of those weeks when the invisible operation of God begins to surface in an astounding way. At our meeting in Mazere on Tuesday three people came who do not normally participate in this Bible study. Two of them we had never met before. We had a great study of the parable of the rich man who planned his future after a great harvest only to die the evening of his planning. The twelve participants were really into the discussion of this lesson from Jesus.
The Thursday night meeting was moved to a location about 30 minutes further from our house than where it typically takes place. It would be in the home of a lady who has been coming to the meetings for over a year. She had turned her ankle and could not drive, so she asked if we could meet at her house. For various reasons there were only half as many as usual and two additional people who wanted to come for the first time could not make it. But, our Father was at work. The lady with the turned ankle, not a believer, was in tears as the others explained to her about trusting Jesus Christ and giving their own testimonies. What a night!
A wonderful week: 7 meetings with different texts at each, many hours of driving, and loads of blessings. On the way home from one of the meetings we were contemplating that God is not done with us here yet!
Thanks for your participation in what God is doing here. I will close with an example of how God uses you. At the beginning of the month Judy and I took a trip to celebrate our 50 years of marriage (a year late). We ran across a Texan recently widowed who wanted to help his church more effectively. Part of the discussion was about the Bible studies we do. When we chatted with him the next day, he told us about a video he had seen online posted by Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Charleston, WV that helped him understand our ministry and gave him ideas for what he could do at his church not far from Austin, TX. AMEN!
Your sister and brother,
Judy and John Hatcher
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
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An Encouraging Retreat & Disciples Making Disciples
May 8, 2024
Dear Fellow Servants of Christ,
Today is a Nationwide Holiday in France celebrating the end of World War II in Europe. So, things are pretty quiet. We are very grateful for the blessings of God during the past month , among them your faithful support.
On the last weekend of April, the church that normally meets in Plaisance du Touch spent a blessed three-day weekend together in a country holiday rental. Holiday rentals are usually old farmhouses and buildings that have been modified to be rented to extended families and groups that want to be together for a few days.
Two years ago, at the end of the Covid pandemic the church decided to meet for a weekend of fellowship and mutual encouragement. The time spent together was such an encouragement that the suggestion was made to do this yearly. We eat together, study the Bible together and sing. The rest of the time is spent talking, walking and playing games together. Many of the members of our church and congregations in various places are the only believer in their family. The entire family of each member is invited. This gives those who are not believers the opportunity to see the fellowship among church members.
This past Saturday as Judy and I were driving to the town of Campagne sur Arize to the regularly scheduled adult and children’s Bible studies held in the home of Henri and Laure, Judy received a text from the hostess letting us know that her two brothers and a nephew would be there. This was delightful news to us. One brother lives about an hour away and the other one about two hours away. Laure has been very concerned about the spiritual needs of her brothers and has been praying for them. God brought them!
The first Sunday of May was a delight. Several members of the Plaisance church were sick and could not attend for other reasons. However, we had more in attendance than we expected. The special treat was Dennis, a man who we had never seen before. He is a longtime friend of Samuel, a fellow who trusted the Lord about 8 years ago after about a year of weekly Bible studies in our home. His friend, a very smart guy, went to jail. Samuel prayed for him and witnessed to him, and he trusted Christ. He is now out of jail and on fire for the Lord. He testifies that Samuel was the greatest human influence leading to his faith in Jesus Christ. Disciples making disciples! Thank you for your prayers.
Your sister and brother,
Judy and John Hatcher
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
French Ladies Express Interest in Reading the Bible
March 18, 2024
Dear Fellow Servants of Christ,
Judy and I hope you are enjoying the Spring of God’s creation. We are delighted to have you as partners in the service of our Savior.
The past few weeks have been an encouragement to us. A good illustration are the events of our last Bible study in the city of L’Union. You may remember us mentioning in our last letter that the lady who hosts this meeting expressed her desire to be baptized. Typically, the Iranian couple who never misses was not there because they were hosting an extended family member who lives in Iran. The three other ladies at these studies are French ladies who were drawn to the Bible study by what they see in the hostess.
In these meetings, we are studying through the Gospel of John. We were approaching the end of our study of chapter 12 when the ladies began asking us many questions. The Good News of Jesus Christ is clearly touching the core of their beings. One of the last who originally presented herself as syncretist, appealing to eastern religious philosophies, is now expressing her delight in what she is reading in the Bible. Another lady was catechized as a child in the Catholic religion of her mother and predecessors. She stopped participating at the age of 17 because she saw no hope in the rituals. She told Judy that she bemoans the years that she wasted because she did not know there was anything else. We arrived home from that study at 12:30 a.m.! The following day I received a lengthy text from her stating that she had decided to read the Bible and wanting a recommendation of where to start and a good sequence for reading the books of the Old and New Testaments.
For more than a dozen years we have been having well attended youth meetings. Most of those who participate are in middle school and high school. These have been very effective in evangelizing and discipling these age groups. Last week Philip and Amanda hosted the first meeting of university-aged young adults. There were 11 young adults present and the meeting went very well.
Our other regular meetings in a half dozen different places are going quite well and we are greatly encouraged by what God is doing.
With much gratitude,
John and Judy Hatcher
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Bible Studies Going Well
February 14, 2024
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Hope this finds you enjoying the Lord’s blessings. This past Sunday, Timo (a young man who started coming with his family when he was in Primary School) gave the message at our church service. He made a public profession of faith and was baptized about a year and a half ago. He has grown by leaps and bounds. Though he is a quiet guy, he has brought many friends.
Timo gave a message based on “A Case for Christ”. He got the word out to his friends, and we had a room full of university-aged young people. One young man who was present has recently left the Watch Tower Society religious group. He has trusted Christ and is excited about serving the Lord.
Our Bible Studies with the former Jehovah’s Witness participant are going well. She and her family desperately need a church with which they can fellowship. This is a great problem here in France. The closest Baptist church that we know of is over an hour drive from this family. They are about a three-hours’ drive from us. It would cost them about $50.00 in toll plus about the same amount in fuel. Judy and I are thankful that we are able to have Bible study with them using the Internet.
A couple of days before our Bible Study in L’Union last week, Blandine (the host) texted inviting us to dinner and indicating she would like to talk to us. We were not able to have dinner together as we had another Bible Study scheduled at this time. However, we did manage to get to her house a bit ahead of time. When asked what she wanted to discuss the answer was, “I want to get baptized.” She has been saved for many years and has had the dream of getting baptized in the Jordan River. She decided that she need to stop dreaming and follow the Lord in baptism. So, it is on the schedule!
There is a lady who comes to one of the Bible studies in Mazere has not made a profession of faith. She is married to a man who is a vocal atheist. Last night at the Bible study she mentioned someone that she wanted to invite to come.
We have been touched by deaths and serious surgeries during the last few days. Our hearts go out to the families touched by these painful circumstances here and in the USA. It reminds us of the necessity of sharing the Good News.
Thank you for your participation in the work God has sent us to do.
John and Judy
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Numerous New Opportunities & Many Answered Prayers
January 17, 2024
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We hope this finds you enjoying the beginning of the new calendar year. Thank you for your faithful support. Things are going well here and God has blessed us with good health.
The Lord has encouraged us during the last few months with numerous new opportunities and many answers to prayers. Here is one example: On the eve of the 29th day of December we received a lengthy text from someone we thought had brushed us off two months earlier. We had been having Bible studies with this individual and then it seemed like they were avoiding us by making excuses about not being able to schedule the next Bible study. My opinion of what had/was happening was totally wrong. We are now back to regular meetings with this lady. She has been through some trying times.
Our weeks are filled with meetings with individuals and groups. Some of these are with people who are seeking but not yet believers. Some are with people who have recently put their faith in God. Making disciples takes time. There are 9 different meetings in 7 different locations with people from 6 different cultures. Most are in person, but some are over internet. Each of these is a different study. Most of these meetings are with Judy and me. Some involve other believers. There are also other encounters that are one-time events that open new doors.
The enabling and wisdom we need come from God. Only God can give eternal life to people. However, just as our Father used many people to prepare us for the work that He has given us, He uses us to give the Good News and prepare other disciples to serve Him in the work He is doing. It is not mass production and simply ticking steps off the chart. Every individual is different and it is not a cookie cutter production. Our example is Jesus. No two encounters between Jesus and those who needed Him described in the Scriptures are the same. He sought the Father’s will and we want to do the same.
Thank you for your prayers and contribution to what God is doing here.
Serving the Savior with you,
Judy and John
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Many Opportunities to Witness Over Meals
December 15, 2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We hope this finds you enjoying the New Year. Judy and I are very grateful for the many blessings received from our Heavenly Father during 2023. Among other things, our home and meeting place is now in a new house. More importantly, we have had new young people attending our meetings who show a great interest in spiritual matters and one young lady who trusted the Lord and participates regularly in Sunday worship. She is the only believer in her family.
In my last newsletter I mentioned that we were going to be dining in two different locations later in the week. The meals with friends were a great blessing. The first was in the home of a Swiss couple who are participants in the Bible study group in Mazere. They invited the whole group to their home for a Swiss Fondue. Two ladies who are believers and regular participants in this Bible study are married to men who claim to be atheists. Both of them were at the dinner and much of the conversation revolved around spiritual issues. It was a great witness to these two men.
The second dinner was in the home of our neighbors. They have eaten with us in our home, but it was the first time that we had been invited to eat in their home. When we sat down to eat the lady said, would you pray before we eat. She had liked it when we prayed before the meal at our table. Our evening was great, and the couple was very open with us about their lives. Please pray for them to trust Christ.
One of the ladies in our church who is a chiropractor loves to invite folks to her home for a Thanksgiving meal. Thanksgiving is not a Holiday in France, but most people know about it because they have seen American-made movies that include Thanksgiving meals. Because it is not a Holiday in France, Annaelle holds the Thanksgiving meal on a Sunday and invites the church to come for service at her house and eat some of the desserts. She invites her dinner guests to stay for the service. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet people and share the gospel with them. After the service, one of the ladies who Annaelle has brought to church meetings in the past, told me, “I have a lot of questions (about spiritual matters) I want to ask you.” God is clearly at work in this lady’s life.
May God bless you, your family and your church during the coming year and until Christ return for us,
John and Judy
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Meals: Great Opportunities to Discuss Spiritual Matters
November 17, 2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We hope this finds you enjoying blessings from the Lord and filled with gratitude during this Thanksgiving Season. Judy and I are very grateful to our Lord and Savior for all of the gifts we have received from Him.
The English Bible study in Mazere that began a month ago is going quite well. Two new participants were present and involved at the most recent session held the day before yesterday. This Bible study is for people who are interested in improving their English and getting to know the Bible better. The latest additions are an English lady who has lived in France for about twenty years and a French girl who is a senior in High School. The young lady’s mother was at our first Bible study and had returned. There are a total of seven people in this Bible study. The English lady has lived in France for about 20 years with her husband who claims to be an atheist. She certainly does not need to improve her English, but seems to be quite interested in knowing the Bible better.
This week seems to be banquet week. Tuesday evening, we had dinner in the home of the Iranian couple who participate in one of our Bible studies. There were twelve of us from the Bible study present and Sh____ put out quite a spread of traditional Iranian dishes. It is great to see this couple’s great interest in spiritual matters. Tomorrow we are having a Swiss fondue lunch with the members of our French Mazere Bible study in home of one of the couples who are a part of this group. We will have dinner in the evening in the home of our next-door neighbors. They have never attended the Sunday meetings but have indicated that they will do so. Meals are great opportunities for getting better acquainted with people and often lead to conversations about spiritual matters. Following the Lord Jesus’ example in sharing meals is one of the highlights of “making disciples” and we love it!
We also love being on the same team as you! Please continue to pray for us including the activities and contacts mentioned above.
May the blessings from our Father fill your lives,
Judy and John Hatcher
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Two Baptized and a New Bible Study in English
October 16, 2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We hope this finds you enjoying the Lord’s blessings. Since I last wrote to you, things have exploded in Israel and Gaza. It isn’t the first time it has happened in our lifetimes or during the last several thousand years. It is good for us to remember that God is on the throne. It is important to put our trust in Him; not in human strength or wisdom. Our present Sunday study is the Book of Isaiah. The present events underscore God’s message to Israel through Isaiah.
Yesterday, the son of the couple that hosts our Bible study in the city to L’Union was baptized. It is delightful to witness his enthusiasm for Christ. It is wonderful to see how God works through His children to bring others to himself.
If you have been praying for our newest Bible study with the couple who left the Watchtower Society, God is answering your prayers. Please continue to pray. The lady is quite interested and seems to have truly placed her faith in Jesus Christ. The husband seems to be more reticent; perhaps fearing that he will fall prey to another religious slavery machine. Upon reading this letter, would you pray for their witness to the wife’s family. They will be visiting them during the next couple of weeks and this family is also controlled by the Watchtower Society.
We have been very encouraged by the participation in our Sunday meetings. One lady who had not come for a long time is now attending. She shows an interest and the desire to continue. Another young lady (in first year of University) who trusted the Lord a few months ago through the influence of a Christian young man she was attracted to in High School attends regularly with great interest. She followed the Lord in baptism a couple of weeks ago. You may remember reading in our letter in late Spring about the many young people who came to Youth meeting through contact with Timo, who trusted the Lord and was baptized last summer. This young lady is one of these young people.
This week we will be beginning a second Bible Study in the city of Mazere. It will be in English to attract individuals who want to improve their English. Some folks that we did not previously know have committed to participate. These are contacts of the hostess who works in the Library and Museum in this City. We will be studying through the Gospel of Mark.
Thanks for participating with us in these endeavors.
Yours fellow servants in Christ,
John and Judy
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
